There is provided a process for the net catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes to produce alkenes. The process involves simultaneous equilibrium dehydrogenation of alkanes to alkenes and combustion of the hydrogen formed to drive the equilibrium dehydrogenation reaction further to the product alkenes.
Developments in zeolite catalysts and hydrocarbon conversion processes have created interest in utilizing light aliphatic feedstocks for producing C.sub.5 + gasoline, diesel fuel, etc. In addition to chemical reactions promoted by medium-pore zeolite catalysts, a number of discoveries have contributed to the development of new industrial processes. These are safe, environmentally acceptable processes for utilizing aliphatic feedstocks. Conversions of C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenes and alkanes to produce aromatics-rich liquid hydrocarbon products were found by Cattanach (U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,024) and Yan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,150) to be effective processes using the zeolite catalysts. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,978 and 4,021,502, Plank, Rosinski and Givens disclose conversion of C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 olefins, alone or in admixture with paraffinic components, into higher hydrocarbons over crystalline zeolites having controlled acidity. Garwood et al. have also contributed to the understanding of catalytic olefin upgrading techniques and improved processes as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,062; 4,211,640; and 4,227,992. The above-identified disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.
Catalytic dehydrogenation and aromatization of light paraffinic streams, e.g., C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 paraffins, commonly referred to as LPG, is strongly endothermic and typically carried out at temperatures between 540.degree. and 820.degree. C. (1000.degree. and 1500.degree. F.), the problem of transferring sufficient heat to a catalytic reaction zone to carry out the paraffin upgrading reaction remains as an obstacle to commercialization of these processes.
Dehydrogenation of paraffins to olefins has recently generated increasing interest as the market value of olefinic intermediate feedstocks continues to rise. Light olefins, particularly C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefins, enjoy strong demand as building blocks for a wide range of valuable end products including fuels and specialized lubricants as well as thermoplastics.
Methods for supplying heat to an endothermic reaction zone include indirect heat exchange as well as direct heat exchange. Indirect heat exchange is exemplified by a multi-bed reactor with inter-bed heating or a fluid bed reactor with heat exchange coils positioned within the catalyst bed. Direct heat exchange techniques include circulation of inert or catalytically active particles from a high temperature heat source to the reaction zone, or the coupling of a secondary exothermic reaction with the primary endothermic reaction in a single catalytic reaction zone. Examples of such secondary exothermic reactions include (1) oxidative dehydrogenation of a portion of the feedstream, (2) sacrificial co-combustion of a part of the alkane/alkene mixture, and (3) combustion of carbonized species (e.g., coke) on the catalyst.
Currently known techniques for oxidative dehydrogenation are unfortunately not selective enough to achieve sufficiently high levels to allow for commercial practice and at least a part of the valuable product is over-oxidized, usually to the waste products, CO, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O.
Examples of such sacrificial co-combustion processes include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,713 to Miale et al. which teaches a method for heating a reaction zone by selectively burning a portion of a combustible feedstream in a reaction zone. Heat is directly transferred from the exothermic oxidation reaction to supply the endothermic heat for the desired conversion reaction.
A process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,032 to Mazzocchia et al.
Heat balanced reactions are also taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,254,023 and 3,267,023 to Miale et al. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,150 to Yan and Zahner teaches a heat balanced process for the aromatization of hydrocarbon streams by combining the exothermic aromatization of light olefins with the endothermic aromatization of saturated hydrocarbons in the presence of a medium-pore zeolite catalyst.
Turning now to chemical reaction thermodynamics, it is well recognized that the extent of reaction may be increased by removing reaction products from contact with the reactants as the reaction products are formed. This principle finds application in U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,500 to Setzer et al. which teaches a process for reforming hydrocarbon feedstocks and withdrawing the hydrogen product from contact with the feedstock driving the equilibrium to favor increased hydrogen production. Articles by Shu et al. and by Ziaka et al. teach that the extent of reaction for equilibrium dehydrogenation reactions may be further driven to product olefin by the concomitant removal of the hydrogen formed with hydrogen selective membranes. The article by Shu et al. appears in the Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 69, 1036-1060 (1991); and the article by Ziaka et al. entitled "A High Temperature Catalytic Membrane Reactor for Propane Dehydrogenation" appears in the Journal of Membrane Science, 77, 221-232 (1993).
Similarly, British Patent Application GB 2190397A describes a process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons by catalytic paraffin dehydrocyclodimerization. The process upgrades C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 paraffins, i.e., ethane, propane, butane or a mixture thereof to a mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen by-product in a reactor provided with a membrane capable of selective, in-situ transfer of at least a portion of the hydrogen in the mixture across the membrane. Catalysts useful in the paraffin upgrading process are said to include zeolites, and in particular gallium-containing zeolites.
It is believed that the paraffin dehydrogenation reaction is equilibrium limited when carried out in a conventional reactor due to the thermodynamics of equilibrium dehydrogenation. For example, at 550.degree. C. the equilibrium propylene from propane dehydrogenation, irrespective of catalyst, is limited to 33%. Thus, the state of the art of endothermic hydrogen-producing paraffin upgrading processes would clearly be advanced by a process and apparatus for increasing the extent of reaction while also providing a high temperature heat source to supply at least a portion of the endothermic heat of reaction.